My User Interface: Auras

This is the first in a series on my UI. At a later time I’ll talk
about my combat addons, unit frames, keybindings, and more at a later
time. Today I am focusing on auras.

I use a combination of Power Auras and Weak Auras. They’re very similar addons, but some auras are easier to create in one or the other. Weak Auras does “AND” and “OR” logic (andother conditionals) very easily, but Power Auras is faster to set up simple things.

Both addons are pretty heavy, at least as far
as conventional addons go. Most computers can handle running
them, but if you’re on a particularly weak or old machine you might
have to pick just one.

I use Weak Auras for rotation and cooldown items. Basically, anything
that I need to see on every encounter. I use Power Auras for encounter
specific buffs or debuffs. I have dozens of power auras and they are
very encounter-specific, so I will not include them here. I usually
list those in my boss guide posts.

I’ve included the export strings if anyone wants to build off the
auras I’ve created. Just open Weak Auras (“/wa”), choose “Import” in
the options, and then copy the random-looking string from the
orange-highlighted area into the window.

Location, Location, Location

Location for auras is vital. When designing your own UI, put your
most important auras near the middle of the screen. Not everything can
be important; otherwise you’ll be overwhelmed with information and your
UI will be useless.

I have three types of auras groups: rotational, personal
cooldowns, and external cooldowns. Each type has its own location based
on importance. Even within those groups, I order them in such a way
that the more important ones are prioritized near the center or have
bigger icons.

My rotational auras are right at my character’s feet, since
that’s where I’m looking (or should be looking) most of the time.
They’re small and relatively unobtrusive because they are up all the
time. I’ve also chosen to represent them as abstract designs instead of
icons. In my UI, abstract designs indicate that I should use that skill
now, and icons indicate that a skill is simply available.

My personal cooldown auras are also near the middle, though not
in the same high-priority spot that my rotation auras are located. They
need to be near enough that I can see them at all times, but I don’t
need to be interrupted by their appearance. They are pictured as icons
to indicate that I don’t need to push them right away.

My external cooldown auras are on the sides. Since I’m not
responsible for activating these skills, I need to know right away if
I’m affected by them.

Rotational Auras

I use my auras to guide my rotation. As a tank, I want to know
what’s available so that I can pick the best option. I don’t like
staring at cooldown timers, and instead use my auras to tell me when
something is off cooldown.

I’ve designed these auras to feel like a game all in itself. The
goal is to not have any rotational auras up at all! If there aren’t any
auras up, I can Lacerate mindlessly.

Mangle Shows the icon when Mangle is
available or will be available in less than 1 second (to account for
the gcd and reaction time).

Personal Cooldown Auras

I track durations of cooldowns using a specialized buff timer
bar, which I’ll talk about in a later post. I use auras to track
availability of those cooldowns. When in the middle of an encounter, I
want to know what cooldown can I use right now, and that’s what these
help me do. I also need to know when the important cooldowns are
unavailable and when I can use them, which is why they come packaged
with basic-colored cooldown timers.

Survival Instincts Icon appears when Survival
Instincts is available and you are in bear form. If Survival Instincts
is on cooldown, displays a red cooldown timer.